Once upon a time in a small village of the Kingdom of Dentmore there lived a poor shoemaker. He was not the best shoemaker in the land but he managed to do just fine. His wife had passed away two summers ago after giving birth to their only son. The shoemaker and his son lived in peace, making a living on shoes, until one evening when a dark figure showed up on his doorstep.

The dark figure asked if the shoemaker would house him for a night. Though the dark figure gave him a chilling feeling, the wind was blowing hardly out. Nodding to the man, the shoemaker led him into the small shop that doubled as their house.

The next morning, the shoemaker awoke to start his day. The dark figure was gone, along with a bag of gold that was in the safe. Sighing deeply, the shoemaker just started to make a new pair of shoes.

The evening after closing the shop, a knock came on the door. Unlatching the bolts, the shoemaker opened the door to show a man in fine clothing and his party.

"Good evening shoemaker," the gentleman greeted, "would you mind housing my party and I for the night? The Inn's are full and the wind is not kind."

Nodding to the gentleman, the poor shoemaker led them to the house part of the store. The gentleman and his party thanked him greatly and fell asleep.

The next morning the shoemaker awoke to start the day. Walking into the kitchen, he noticed that all of the food was gone. Shocked, he walked out to the shop and sighed when he saw that the gentleman and his party were actually thieves dressed as gentlemen and that they have stolen most of his shoes as well as his food.

During the day the poor shoemaker worked hard on shoes and took care of his son who was complain about being hungry. That night they both feel asleep hungry and tired.

Near mid-night, a knock came at the door but when the shoemaker answered, no one was there.

The next morning the shoemaker and his son went into the market to buy food with the little money they had left. After buying what they needed, he donated the rest of the money, though it wasn't much to a small group of skinny orphans standing in a ally by the food market.

That evening, after closing the shop, a knock came at the door. The shoemaker slowly went to the door, unlocking it and opening it just as slowly. He looked out and saw that it was the dark figure.

"Good evening, kind shoemaker," the dark figure greeted, "would you mind housing me for the night for it is getting chilled out."

"I have nothing more you can take but if you wish to stay in a poor man's house. Please come in," the shoemaker said.

The dark figure walked past him into the shop.

The next morning, the shoemaker woke in a good mood, feeling like the world would turn around for him if he asked it too. Walking out into the shop, the shoemaker looked in amazement at the shoe material on the floor. The shoemaker turned and rushed into the kitchen to find piles of food.

The shoemaker went to the kitchen table, sitting in one of the chairs heavily. He looked around noticing the note on the table. He read:

Shoemaker,

I'm been through a lot in my days. Saving lives, fighting dragons, saving important people from death, and anything else you would think a 'hero' would do. The people in the Kingdom all me a hero, the King calls me a hero, but I would have never housed anyone for a night after they stole from me. Nor would I give money to the poor. You are truly a hero in my eyes but your true weakness is that you are too trusting.

Knight of Dentmore.

The end

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